28-05-2025
Driver charged in Pierce County wreck that killed motorcyclist riding next to wife
A 42-year-old Puyallup woman accused of driving drunk and colliding head-on with a motorcycle in South Hill over Memorial Day weekend, killing a man who was riding next to his wife, was charged Tuesday with vehicular homicide.
A plea of not guilty was entered on Christy Lynn Carter's behalf at an arraignment hearing Tuesday afternoon. Pierce County Superior Court Judge Scott Peters ordered her held in jail in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Court records show Carter is an employee with the City of Bonney Lake. According to her LinkedIn page, she is an accounting specialist. She has no prior criminal history. A defense attorney was not listed in court records.
Asked about the city's employment of Carter, the City of Bonney Lake's assistant to the city administrator, Leslie Harris, told The News Tribune on Wednesday that it is the city's standard practice not to share information on employment matters.
According to charging documents, Carter was driving a 2019 Jeep Cherokee on Sunday, May 25, going east on 152nd Street East at high speed. At the same time, a husband and wife were riding their motorcycles west. Carter's vehicle was reportedly out of control when it exited a right-hand corner and then crossed the center line, striking one of the motorcycles head on.
The collision occurred shortly before 5:30 p.m. near Pope Elementary School.
The man riding the motorcycle was ejected and died at impact, according to the probable cause document. The Sheriff's Office said the second motorcyclist was grazed by the Jeep. Deputies said the Jeep continued for another 100 yards, taking out street signs and a fire hydrant before coming to a rest.
The victim has not yet been identified by the Medical Examiner's Office. KING 5 identified him as a 'beloved' biker who was a veteran and reported that dozens of people from various bike clubs met on Memorial Day to honor his memory.
Carter was contacted at the collision scene by deputies, and a portable breath test recorded her blood-alcohol level at 0.15 percent, above the legal limit of 0.08. She allegedly told deputies she had two alcoholic seltzers and a cannabis gummy earlier in the day.
The woman told deputies she did not remember what happened, according to the probable cause document, but she remembered being hit in the face at impact. Deputies reported she had a minor nose injury likely caused by the air bag deploying.
